SHANTA AND I spent the night together in an underwater cave beside a trickling bonfire. Kinaumagahan niyon habang naghahanap ng pagkain sa maliit na gubat, tinawag ako ni Shanta para pumunta sa dalampasigan.
"What happened?!" I shouted as I scurried down the rock formations. "May problema ba?""May barko!" hiyaw ni Shanta at hinala ang mga kamay ko. "Kumaway ka, dali! Kaway ka!"While I braked my feet against the calm waves, tumunghay ako sa hindi kalayuan. And to my glee, natanaw ng mga mata ko ang isang yateng papunta rito sa tagong isla.Lumawak ang ngiti ko."Here!" I screamed. "Help!""Manong!" Shanta howled while waving her arms in the air. "Dito po! Tulong! Nandito kami!"After multiple screamings, the yacht anchored on the shore. Si Clavis ang unang bumaba ng barko at sinundan siya nina Katlego at ang iba."Gago kayo! Sinong nag-isip 'to?! Bakit hindi niyo sinabi sAS I DROVE the car in the empty streets, the silence inside was slowly chopping off my head and burying my other half in a haunted forest. Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang manibela, nanggigigil at seryosong nakapokus sa daan, dahil wala pa rin siyang imik. "You really won't speak?" I scoffed after minutes of getting killed in evil solitude. "Okay, then. Take your time, Babe. I won't insist further-" "Aalis na ako," putol ni Shanta. I snorted. "Oh, Baby. You can't go because I won't stop the car." "Hindi 'yan ang ibig kong sabihin." My brows furrowed at the icy tone of her voice, which compelled me to steer the wheel and park beside the road. Humi
ANOTHER YEAR has ended and so much has changed in the course of our lives. Last May, Shanta flew to Italy to pursue her course. At first, I didn't accept her leaving the happy life she had here. But it came to my realization that a life can be more fulfilled with a successful career. Mahal ko si Shanta. May pangarap siya sa kanyang sarili at susuportahan ko siya. I had never known this before. Pero ngayon, alam na alam ko na. I also made sure that we'd never lose communication while we're miles apart and in different time zones. Despite our hectic schedule, we still managed to greet each other good morning and good night. We would always video call while studying. One time I had a funny encounter with her. At kapag naiisip ko 'yon, natutuwa at kinikilig pa rin ako.
THE CAR parked in front of a Roman style school grounds and I hopped out with a basket of yellow roses. Kasabay ng pag-alis ng kotse ay ang pagpalo ng malamig na simoy ng hangin sa mukha ko. Somehow, it felt nostalgic and calming. Parang nakikinig lang ako sa malakas na ulan habang nakahiga sa malambot na kama ko. Mas nakakaginhawa pa ang bugso ng hangin sa nagniniyebeng lugar. Because as I pan my head around the school front yard with meadows covered by snow, I could also feel the wind brushing through my long hair with every move my head made. Dahil huling buwan na ng taon, talamak ang niyebe sa iba't ibang sulok ng lugar. Afar from the driveway, a bricked path was flooded by small amount of snow while a bald tree was cloaked by white crystals, which served as its jacket against the cold weather. At kung meron mang punong may d
FIVE MONTHS AFTER the beginning of a new year, everything has already been set. Mula sa mga gawain ko sa dating kurso hanggang sa mga kailangang ipasa para sa panibago, tinapos ko na iyon lahat. Ang pag-impake na lang ang kulang at lalayag na ako sa panibagong buhay na tatahakin ko."Do you really have to do this, Kagan? Mahirap ang buhay mo roon," Mama lamented while she caressed my cheeks, never leaving by my side.Kanina pa ako naka-impake. All the valuable things were already kept while the prohibited ones were excluded from my luggage. Hindi lang ako makaalis dahil kanina pa ako pinipigilan ni Mama. Her tears became visible due to the car beams. Imbes na umalis kami ngayong madaling araw, baka abutin na kami ng umaga at baka mahuli pa ako sa pagpasok sa isang Marine School sa Zambales. Balita ko ay istrikto sila roon, at maaaring si Mama pa ang maging dahilan para hindi ako tuluyang makapasok."We have alre
THE LIFE OF A CADET was what I already expected. This is the stage of our lives where everything would be put to the test. Hindi basta-bastang dinadaan ito sa dasal. Before He does the rest, we have to do our best first. Ang dugo, pawis, at maging ang espiritu ang puhunan sa matinding ensayo sa akademiya na ito."One! Two! One! Two! One! Two!" bilang ng lider sa harapan habang sabay-sabay kaming tumatakbo ng mga kadete sa track and field."Kadete Angeles! Nahuhuli ka!" may diing sita ng Lieutenant noong dumaan ang linya namin sa kanilang kampo. "Ayusin mo ang pagtakbo!""Pasensya, Sir!""You okay?" I asked Santino while I jogged and simply glanced behind."Oo. Kaya ko 'to," he said breathfully, then I felt him, speeding up and catching up to my pace. "Masasanay din ako, Vos."Kasabay niyan ay ang pagtuloy ng aming pagtakbo. Naka-ilang laps na kami. Kami na mismo ang sumalubong sa araw at nagsimula ng
KUNTING ORAS NA LANG, pare! Isa ka nang ganap na Marino!” kantyaw ni Katlego sa akin saka tinampal-tampal ang balikat ko.I rolled my eyes on him. Alam kong nais niya lang ipaabot ang saya dahil sa narating ko nitong nagdaang tatlong taon. He’s already graduated the past month. Nakakuha siya agad ng trabaho sa isang sikat na Architectural Firm sa Manila. Iyong ibang mga kaibigan namin, they’ve also finished college. As far as I know, they’re on the buzz for a job right now. Kung ano pa ang mga nangyari sa buhay nila, I don’t know. But we’ll surely catch up later. “Kung pwede ko lang i-disenyo ang barko, gagawan kita tapos ikaw ang kapitan namin!” tuloy niya sa pagpuri sa akin.To avoid giving him cold shoulders, I simply grinned, then went back to being serious again. What he’s saying could have been melodic kung hindi lang nagbago ang taon. Kung hindi lang nagbago ang mga tao. Kung nagpatuloy lang talaga sila sa pag-intindi. Marami pa siyang dinadada pero
I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE you’re back, Anak…” Mama said over a hundred times. “I can’t wait for you to come home.” I looked down at her hand gripping mine. Napangiti ako sa lambot at higpit ng pagkakahawak niya. She caressed it softly with her jeweled fingers and I lifted my gaze at her, still amused at how she’s unstoppable with complimenting her eldest son. “Marami akong ipinahanda sa mga kasambahay natin,” dugtong niya, ang tono ng boses ay nasasabik. “We also prepared your room yesterday… and the other day.” She giggled. “Lahat ay pulido, walang alikabok!” I smiled emotionally. “Thank you, Ma. But you know, I can’t hang out in my room habitually anymore. Now that I’m a busy man. I have to establish my name, my own brand.” “Why? Are you leaving immediately tomorrow?” I chuckled at her tone, hinting of irritation. “Of course not. But I’m only telling you that because you don’t have to work so hard cleaning my room. Trust me, I can do it.” “You really are a
I TURNED MY CAR carelessly and braked beside the road. To my madness, the back of the vehicle almost lifted, like there was some metal string pulling it from above. Sa pag preno ng kotse, habol-habol ko ang aking hininga. Bumagsak ang noo ko sa manibela dahil sa sobrang pagod at galit. Pinaghalo-halo na. I gritted my teeth, remembering how I absconded from that poisonous home and wreaked havoc on the road. What am I even thinking? I barely came out alive from the academy and here I am, almost fleeing myself to death, speed driving and overtaking ruthlessly on the highway. Sinasampal ako ng pagkadismaya. All of this… It wasn't in my plan! Gusto ko l